Irish Life report highlights shift toward longer working lives

A new report from Irish Life, titled Life100+, highlights a shift in demographic trends and workforce expectations as life expectancy increases. The research indicates that the traditional linear model of education, followed by decades of work and then retirement, is being challenged by a longer-living population.

According to Roisin Kelly of Irish Life, only one in five workers expects to follow a traditional fixed retirement age. Instead, three in four anticipate that people will need to work for longer periods, and 95% of respondents believe organizations must adapt to these changes. In Ireland, the population aged 65 and over is projected to double by 2057.

As life expectancy reaches approximately 80 for men and 84 for women, employers are increasingly managing requests from staff to work beyond traditional retirement ages on a case-by-case basis. The report suggests that the primary challenge for businesses will be scaling organizational structures to accommodate a multigenerational workforce and longer career spans.